I got an email from Russel Oye recently, letting me know of a great development for the west coast engineering types.

Most of you you may know Russel as the long time Shop Instructor at BCIT's North Shore Marine Campus, where all recent Marine Engineering cadets have passed through. Russel is also involved in the Canadian Institutes of Marine Engineering though the Vancouver Branch.

Recently he's been tasked by BCIT to developed a Marine Mechanical Technician program, and the new Heavy Equipment Technician program.

BCIT's Marine Campus
eng. workshop in 2004

The good news comes in the form of BCIT, and Vancouver Community College (VCC), announcing that they are joining "technical training forces", and are moving them to new facilities on Annacis Island, near Vancouver. The facility will be known as the Motive Power Center of Excellence. The provincial government has contributed 4.5 millions dollars to the project.

“Around 43 per cent of the one million jobs expected to open by 2020 will require trades or technical training,” said Advanced Education Minister Amrik Virk. “Co-locating two existing heavy-duty transportation programs into one centre will benefit students, industry and employers.”

Pictured below, is the artist rendering of the new facility. Those of you with the keen eye, will notice the dominate feature of the facility, is a glass walled workshop housing a large MAN Diesel engine.

BCIT and VCC's new Motive Power Center of Excellence on Annacis Island

The fully operational medium speed Diesel engine; an inline 7
cylinder, 48/60 series, with common rail fuel injection, weighs in at 119 tons and puts out 8,400 kW. The 48/60 series of engines is the second
largest series of the MAN medium speed portfolio, and this particular engine was recently donated to BCIT, by MAN Turbo and Diesel Canada, a value of 1.3 million dollars.

This is of course, great news for us engineering types in Canada, and more importantly the future engineering types. The prominence of the engine, and its showcasing, may offer the first sight of fascination to a developing mind. Not to mention when our next generation choose this profession, they will have a place to develop their interest, with the latest gear and programs.

Congrats to all those involved. I am very anxious to see the finish product, when the new facility opens, expected to be September 2014. You can read the full press release by BCIT here.